Buffing machines are generally produced in two sizes. A hand-held size is used for furniture, automobiles, and the like, and a floor model is used for floors.
Various chemicals are used with such buffers including: waxes, polishes, strippers, etc. Such chemicals are used to maintain and clean some particular surface such as a floor. However, these same chemicals can have adverse effects on other surfaces such as carpeting.
Therefore, when a person finishes stripping a floor and moves on to another floor and there is carpeting between the two floors, he must take certain precautions so that the chemicals on the pad do not drip onto the carpeting. Typically, this requires the removal of the buffing pad from the buffer and moving the two across the carpet independently. Such a procedure is time-consuming and is not fool-proof.
Another problem with buffers is the necessity of cleaning the buffing pad when the pad will not be used for a long period of time such as at lunch time. During such periods, the pad must be removed and cleaned. This is necessary so that the pad does not dry out and become useless. After lunch the same chemical that was removed only about an hour earlier, is reapplied on the pad. Again, this is a time-consuming endeavor.
What is needed is a device whereby a person using harsh chemicals on a buffer, can cross a sensitive surface without fear of damaging the surface. Such a device should be able to prevent a buffing pad from drying out when the pad is not used for a period of time. The device should be of simple construction and be easy to use.